The invention relates generally to a cover for an electric meter, and more specifically to a hinged protective device suitable for a standard cylindrical electric meter.
Electric meters are widely used to measure the amount of electric power used at a site. Their construction is generally standardized. They use a metal rectangular box for housing the wires and terminal connections between incoming power and loading circuits at the site. A glass cylinder extends from the box and houses a visible meter. In some installations, underground wires are fed from the electric power source to the electric meter. In other installations, above-ground elevated power-lines are fed from the electric power source to the electric meter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,814, issued to Iavarone, and titled xe2x80x9cDecorative Conduit Raceway Coveringxe2x80x9d shows above-ground elevated power lines fed from the electric power source. The patent shows a standard meter that is mounted on the outside of a house. The incoming power lines are fed through a conduit, then through a decorative covering system. This system includes a series of interconnected u-shaped covers. Both the incoming power lines to the electric meter and the power lines to the loading circuits within the house are covered by the u-shaped covers. The standard electric meter is also covered with an enclosure that is attached to the wall. The glass cylinder housing the electric meter protrudes through a hole in the front of this enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,074, issued to Byrd, and titled xe2x80x9cUtility Meter Mounting Pedestalxe2x80x9d shows below-ground power lines fed from the electric power source. The patent shows a standard meter that is mounted on the outside of a house. The incoming power lines are fed through an underground conduit that rises adjacent to an exterior wall. Although the conduit is shown on the outside of the exterior wall (see FIG. 1), it could also rise through the exterior wall itself. This would conceal the conduit from view. In either case, the conduit is passed to the electric power meter, which is mounted on the exterior of the building.
Although both of the above-mentioned patents effectively. enclose the power meter, both are relatively unattractive. Both detract from the ascetic appearance of a building.
According to one aspect of the invention, a cover for a electric power meter is constructed of a plastic material suitable for painting to match the color of an exterior wall. The electric power meter includes a glass cylinder for a meter display. The cover is mounted on a wall to enclose the power meter console. The cover includes a base, a face and hinges. The base defines a plurality of mounts for securing the base to the exterior wall. The face defines a hole positioned to pass the meter cylinder. The hinges connect the face to the base. The face has a closed position against the base that completely covers the electric power meter with the meter cylinder passing through the hole. The face also has an open position that permits access to the electric power meter and separates the face from the electric power meter so that the meter cylinder does not extend through the hole.
According to further aspects of the invention, the base is formed of a u-shaped channel. The u-shaped channel defines an interior passage extending fully around the electric power meter. A pair of side walls of the u-shaped channel extend substantially perpendicular from the exterior wall. A front surface joins the pair of side walls along an end opposite the exterior wall.
The hinges are formed by a set of sleeves that extend from a top portion of the base, a set of sleeves that extend from a top of the face and engage the set of sleeves that extend from the base, and a set of pins that extend through the sleeves along a common axis. The face and the base are connected by the pins so that the face rotates about the axis defined by the pins.
The face includes a first and a second sub-body, a front panel and an address panel. The first sub-body defines a first front and a first side wall that extends back from the first front to meet the front surface of the u-shaped channel of the base when the face is in the closed position. The first side wall extends around a first outer perimeter of the first sub-body. The first outer perimeter extends around the interior passage defined by the u-shaped channel of the base. The second sub-body defines a second front and a second side wall that extends back from the second front to join with the first front. The second side wall extends around a second outer perimeter of the second sub-body. The second outer perimeter is smaller than the first outer perimeter. The front panel is recessed from the second front of the second sub-body. The front panel defines the hole positioned to pass the meter cylinder. The address panel is recessed from the front panel. The address panel is positioned adjacent to the hole and adapted to receive a label plate for an address.
The cover further includes a hasp and a lock. The hasp is positioned along the bottom of the face. The hasp includes a sleeve extending from the face and a sleeve extending from the base. When the face is in the closed position, the sleeve extending from the face aligns with the sleeve extending from the base. The lock passes through the sleeve extending from the face and the sleeve extending from the base.
According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus to decoratively cover an electric power meter includes a substantially rectangular base and a substantially rectangular cover. The rectangular base defines a plurality of mounts for connecting the rectangular base with a wall. The rectangular base defines an interior passage sized to fit around a standard electric power meter console. The rectangular cover attaches to the rectangular base. The rectangular cover defines a circular hole sized to pass a meter cylinder connected to the standard electric power meter base. The rectangular cover has an open and a closed position. When the rectangular cover is in the closed position, the rectangular cover completely encloses the standard electric power meter base except a portion of the meter cylinder that passes through the circular hole. When the rectangular cover is in the open position, the standard electric power meter base and the meter cylinder are completely accessible.
According to further aspects of the invention, the apparatus also includes a hinge and a hasp. The hinge has a first sleeve, a second sleeve and a pin. The first sleeve extends from the rectangular base. The second sleeve extends from the rectangular cover so that the first and second sleeves are aligned. The pin passes through the first and the second sleeve so that the rectangular cover rotates about the pin as it moves between the open and closed positions. The hasp attaches along a side of the rectangular cover opposite to the hinge.
According to further aspects of the invention, the rectangular base is formed of a paintable plastic. The rectangular base includes an inner and an outer wall, and an front plate. The inner and an outer walls extend substantially perpendicular from the wall on which the apparatus is mounted. The front plate joins the inner and outer walls. The front plate defines a plurality of holes that form the plurality of mounts.
According to further aspects of the invention, the rectangular cover is formed of a paintable plastic. The rectangular cover includes a rectangular front face and side walls. The rectangular front face has a recessed plate defining the circular hole. The side walls extend from the front face and around the perimeter of the rectangular front face. The rectangular front face defines the circular hole and wherein the side walls meet the rectangular base when the rectangular cover is in the closed position.
Still further aspects of the invention will be appreciated with reference to the drawings and detailed description that follow.